Hon. GEO. E. FOSTER (North Toronto).

Before the orders of the day are called I would renew the inquiry I have so often made for the following returns : February 2, the House ordered a return of the different armouries; February 25, return for certain statistical publications; February 26, appointees to service under the Transcontinental Railway Commission; February 26, permanent loans and cost of the same; February 5, with reference to the Royal Mint; February 8, orders in council, correspondence, &c., re loans negotiated since January, 1907; February 10, with reference to the dredge industry.

My deputy informed me this morning that he had told the Secretary of State that so soon as that portion of the return which was pertinent to the Department of Public Works was ready, the portion required from the Militia Department would be ready. He also told me that a similar return had been brought down last year or the year before, and he presumed it would be only necessary to bring the information up to date.

Hon. W. S. FIELDING (Minister of Finance).

One of the returns with regard to the loans will be brought down to-day or tomorrow; I will inquire as to the second one.

Hon. WM. PUGSLEY (Minister of Public Works).

Out of the 26 returns which have been moved for from my department 13 have been brought down. There is a great deal of work involved in preparing these. As an illustration, one return asks for ail the expenditure upon public works running over a good many years in New

Brunswick, Nova Scotia and British Columbia, and there is also a very lengthy return in regard to the county of Bonaven-ture. The clerks are working on these returns as rapidly as possible and in the course of two or three days quite a numbeT will be presented.

I venture to say that any clerk in 20 minutes time could bring down everything in reference to the dredge industry.

Mr. PUGSLEY.

These returns must come in turn and they require a great deal of care.

What care ?

Mr. PUGSLEY.

To have them correct.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

In what department is that statistical return ?

Mr. FOSTER.

All departments. The order was passed on February 25. The Prime Minister has not yet referred to the matter of bringing down the report of the Civil Service Commission.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

I told my hon. friend some few weeks ago that the commissioners did not interpret the law, that they were bound to make a report this session.

Mr. FOSTER.

The law exists requiring that report to be brought down within so many days of the opening of the session and that should be attended to.

Hon. G. P. GRAHAM (Minister of Railways and Canals).

With regard to the employees of the Transcontinental Railway 'Commission, the delay is caused by the commissioners finding it almost impossible to get the residences of all these men; the other information is Teady.

Mr. R. L. BORDEN.

When may we expect the details relative to the proposal on the Order Paper as to the loan to the Grand Trunk Pacific ?

Mr. FIELDING.

The information was furnished me last evening but I found some errors which will have to be corrected. It ought to be ready to-day or perhaps to-morrow.

Mr. R. L. BORDEN.

If the Minister of Finance is not now in a position to announce the probable date of the Budget speech, I would like to ask that the usual notice of its delivery be given a few days in advance.

Mr. FIELDING.

Assuming that the Grand Trunk Pacific loan resolutions were to be taken up now I had purposed going on with the budget the first of next week, but the postponement of the Grand Trunk Pacific resolutions rather upset that plan Mr. PUGSLEV.

a little. I will see that several days notice is given.